Hollywood Raises Garage Parking Fees

January 6, 1989|By BOB FRENCH, Staff Writer

HOLLYWOOD -- Officials are crying all the way to the bank over raising parking fees at a city garage.

Too many motorists entering M.J. Connell Parking Garage at the beach were rummaging through their pockets or purses for exact change to pay the all-day fee of $1.50 or the after-2 p.m. fee of 50 cents.

In such close quarters, the stalling motorists caused traffic to back up and slowed the number of cars able to enter the garage.

The solution is going to cost motorists a pretty penny. The city has raised the fee to $2 for all day and $1 for after 2 p.m.

The increased weekday fees went into effect on Monday at the garage on Johnson Street and State Road A1A.

The change was made after Parking Systems Administrator Kenneth Abruzzini told the City Commission that some motorists, rather than break a $1 bill, would forage through their cars, checking under the seats, in the glove compartment, in the ashtray, even in the trunk, for coins to make up 50 cents. Meanwhile, traffic would back up onto the street waiting to get into the garage.

``It`s unbelievable,`` he said. ``One guy got out of his car, opened the trunk and took out a gallon Mason jar filled with coins.``

The delays slowed the number of cars entering the garage on weekdays from more than five a minute to three or four each minute, Abruzinni said.

During weekends and holidays, when the fee is $3, the garage could be filled with cars in about 90 minutes, he said. On weekdays, it took up to an hour longer, he said.

The police department and state Department of Transportation asked the city to do something about the traffic backups. Last year the city opened up two eastbound lanes along Johnson Street leading from A1A.

One of the lanes leads into the garage, leaving the second for traffic heading for Surf Road. The city also added a second entrance to the garage.

Abruzzini said those changes did not eliminate the backup of vehicles on the weekdays.

Finally, Abruzzini asked the City Commission to raise the weekday fee. That way, motorists won`t have to look for spare change, he said.